Renovations to the Keg Steakhouse and Bar are nearly finished and the restaurant will be open early February, said owner Rob Haberman.

The Keg, located on 100 Avenue across from KFC, has been under major construction for more than six months – but now it's practically finished. Haberman said they’re expecting to receive permits from the city by Friday, and next week they’ll start moving in the supplies and staff of about 115 people.

“We’ll train for two weeks and hopefully by Feb. 5 or 6 – that’s our target date – we’ll be open to the public,” he said. “The construction is pretty much finished. We’ll have some landscaping to look after in the spring, and paving of one last lot that we couldn’t sneak in with the weather last fall.”

Haberman describes the new look as “very modern” and “very different from what Grande Prairie’s seen in the past there for the last 20 years.”

He decided to do the renovations because he’s entering a new franchise agreement with the chain now that the previous 20-year agreement has expired.

The new Keg will have a lot more parking. Haberman purchased two parking lots to the east of the restaurant. They’ve also added a handicapped elevator.

There will be some new things on the menu, too.

“The Keg is constantly evolving some of their items; they’ll take one or two items off of each category, probably once a year, and replace them with something else ... We’ve got a couple new interesting menu items that will be revealed with the new open.”

Haberman said previously that the renovations were “all-encompassing – interior, exterior, kitchen, everything.” The downstairs pub area has been expanded with a new layout and different feel, and the kitchen has been fitted with new equipment.

Sports Blanket invention

A new invention by a local entrepreneur promises to make outdoor sporting events more comfortable and cozy.

Katya Ponich’s portable “Sports Blanket,” sold through her company Golfer Diva, folds out into seat cushions with fleece blankets.

“It’s a two-seater, so you can use it on a bench, but if you are in a facility that has individual seats, like Revolution Place, it actually comes undone and you can use it individually.”

The Sports Blanket follows Ponich’s prior invention, the Golf Blanket, which came out in November. It’s been selling well, with customers from B.C. and Hawaii as well as Grande Prairie, Ponich said. Both are available on golferdivaonline.com, her website.